Singapore to witness rare solar eclipse on March 9

The maximum eclipse will be visible around 8.23am and the solar event will last until 9.33am

A total solar eclipse is seen in Longyearbyen on Svalbard March 20, 2015

Singaporeans can witness a rare astronomical event next month as a partial solar eclipse will be visible in the country with almost 90 per cent of the sun blocked out by the moon.

The morning of March 9 is not going to be just another morning as an hour after sunrise the city will be shrouded in evening light.

The Science Centre Singapore said solar event, which will take place on March 9, will begin at 7.22am, which is 10 minutes after sunrise.

The maximum eclipse will be visible around 8.23am and the solar event will last until 9.33am.

"For someone who is not actively watching out for the eclipse, it would seem as if the morning twilight is longer than usual," Abel Yang, a Lecturer at the National University of Singapore, told TODAY.

The Science Centre has warned residents not to look at the sun directly during the eclipse as it could cause irreparable eye damage including blindness.

Even while using a telescope or binoculars to view the eclipse, people should use solar filters experts have warned.

"These filters block out not only most of the visible light, but also ultraviolet and infrared light that can be harmful to your eyes," Yang said.